We’re fortunate to work with some of the best up-and-coming authors, musicians and artists around.
We’ve featured a selection below. For more information, contact us today.
One of my earliest memories is being read ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. I can clearly recall the feelings of security, wonder and captivation that I felt as I heard the story unfold. As I wrote Niji, this memory inspired me to create a story that would excite, but most importantly leave a lasting impression.
Despite my love of stories and fiction, becoming an author was by no means something I was destined to become. It was more of a consequence of the personal transformation that I experienced during my university years. Like many young adults, I briefly experienced a phase in my life that was a little grey. Thankfully, this led me to discover meditation, awakening my mind to the wonders of the present moment and giving me greater compassion for others.
A teaching degree followed my desire for a meaningful career, and I found myself once again reading picture books. I noticed that many children particularly enjoy reading books with rhyme, as well as stories containing a thought-provoking message or a character’s journey of discovery. Witnessing the impact of books on children’s views, well being and curiosity inspired me to put pen to paper.
Thanks to my love of teaching and my regular mindfulness practice, life felt vibrant and full of possibility, and I considered with gratitude the people who had showed me the power of living in the now. My hope for ‘Niji’s Dream’ was to create a journey story that celebrated our ability to witness beauty in the world around us and to help others to do the same. Niji demonstrates wisdom, bravery and, above all, kindness – he is a role model for us all.
I’ve always been quite a creative person. Some of my fondest memories are of diving into my art box (glue, glitter, and things I’d salvaged from the recycling) and seeing where my ideas took me.
I was very lucky to be surrounded by people that encouraged my creativity all through my childhood. In school, I attended countless after school art sessions. How much work was actually achieved in those sessions was questionable, but I think the no-pressure environment helped the creativity to flow more naturally.
What drew me towards illustration and picture books in particular was the art of storytelling, how illustrations can bring a new meaning to text.
Turning from one page to the next, the surprise on the first telling of the story, then all the little details you notice on re-tellings. From the use of colour to the textures and and expression, every detail is there for a reason.
I was given freedom with Niji’s Dream which allowed me to unleash my creativity and bring my own interpretation to life. The text drew me in because of its positive message of believing in yourself, and the way that supporting a friend can help them realise their potential, and what a beautiful thing that is!
The story considers how the people that surround you can influence the way you see things – and vice-versa!
I have been interested in photography since my teens, but it took till my forties to get a bit more serious about it.
As a mature student I studied photography and graphic design at college which has helped develop my skills and given me a better understanding of photography. I have tried my hand at many different types of photography from weddings, commercial work, events and sport to mention a few.
What I love best is simply getting out there and taking photos of whatever catches my eye. This, combined with me being a bit of a geek led me on a quest of experimentation. Having the ability to mesh digital photography and art really appealed to me from its first introduction. The ability to blend and alter photos to produce some often strange and fascinating results is something that I truly love to do.
As a girl I attended convent boarding school, but after graduating I turned my back on the Catholic church, thinking that it was irrelevant. However, sometime later, when I had a family, we were hit by personal tragedy. I lost my middle son and grieved for nearly a decade before experiencing my own ‘moment of enlightenment’.
I experienced periods when I would wonder if there was a God, to a position of total belief, right there.
It is my fervent belief that so many of today’s ills and sadness’s come from loss of connection to the divine.
With ‘A Littleway of Healing’ I share my experiences of the miracles I’ve witnessed and how you can personally connect to God to find solace and new joy in your own life.
The Courtyard Quintet are a wind quintet performing in Southampton and surrounding areas.
This much sought after wind ensemble is made up of Lynne on flute; Heather on oboe; Paul on clarinet; Phil on French Horn and Berni on bassoon.
Each production is always an expression based on collaboration, rather than one reliant on a single source or person. The various works performed require a minimum of two people and do sometimes incorporate multiple musicians and instruments that aid in the creation of the complete tenor sound.
Tenor highlights the focus on the creation of music, rich in the range between that of baritone and alto, and Son, taken from the Latin, focuses attention on the sound being crafted, and is embedded in many words we use to describe and categorise sound and music, such as resonant, sonic, sonnet and sonata.
The repertoire performed by Tenor Son is largely classical and is made up of bodies of work created by a plethora of composers, poets and lyricists. Words, in whichever language, are powerful conveyors of sentiment and emotion, and are at the core of Tenor Son’s performances.
Jeremy Edwards commented : “When I was nine I remember auditioning for a place as a chorister at Our Lady & St. John’s Choir School. As I was leaving, I said to the headmaster “I think I’ll come” to which he replied, “I think we’ll have you”.
And so, I embarked on a journey of music and song that would take me across Europe for the next five exciting years, and which has stayed with me throughout my life.
I owe a debt of gratitude to my first singing teacher, Fr. David Whitehead who was both inspirational and formidable in equal measure.
Since then I have been fortunate enough to perform at a multitude of different and varied venues across the globe, and been fortunate enough to be tutored by some truly inspirational professionals along the way. .
More recently performances included The O2 Guildhall, accompanied by the BSO, and the Mayflower Theatre – Southampton.”
Error: Contact form not found.